Top 10 blogs for piano teachers in 2017
As a piano teacher, reserving time for personal growth can be a daunting task. Between lesson-prep, teaching, and general studio administration, little time remains for self-development. But in order to keep improving as a teacher, it is critical to set aside a few minutes each day to fine-tune your craft. That's where great bloggers come in — they provide thought-provoking perspectives that inspire you to break out of your routine and grow as a professional.
Here are the top 10 blogs (in no particular order) that you should be following in 2017 to improve your game. Big thanks to Wendy Stevens of Compose Create for compiling the original list in 2009 and keeping it up to date through 2015. We've added a few newcomers for 2017.
Follow
Compose Create for awesome resources and ideas to get kids excited about
playing the piano. The founder, Wendy Stevens, is an innovator when it comes
to presenting challenging musical concepts in a kid-friendly way and has
developed her own super-fun
Rhythm Cup Explorations series to capitalize on the recent
cup craze that took the world by storm. And although kid-friendly resources
are Compose Create's specialty, you'll also find a plethora of articles outlining
the most efficient way to manage the administrative side of your music studio.
Jennifer Foxx of
Music Educator Resources, is a prolific writer who uses her blog as a
platform to share the innovative tips and tricks she employs with her own
students to maximize the effectiveness of her teaching. Jennifer also maintains
one of the most comprehensive lists of iOS Apps for music teachers available,
and is often the first to review newly launched apps. Follow Music Educator
Resources to be the first to hear about the latest technology and to receive
exclusive discounts for new products.
Tim Topham is a progressive piano teacher and blogger based out of Melbourne,
Australia. His
website is chock-full of over 500 blog posts and podcasts aimed to challenge
conventional thinking and inspire readers to experiment with their teaching
approach. And if you're really serious about upping your teaching skills,
consider joining his private online teaching community called the
inner circle where members discuss the newest ideas and get access to
world-class coaching and resources.
Borne out of Joy Morin's college thesis,
Color in My Piano has become one of the world's most popular blogs for
piano teachers. Everything Joy writes exudes passion for her craft and furthers
her mission to keep "color in her piano" by sharing fresh ideas and resources
to ensure she and her readers grow as teachers. Be sure to checkout Joy's
upcoming event
Retreat at Piano Manor: A Getaway for Growth Minded Teachers, which will
be held in her Ohio home this August, for a chance to meet and learn from
Joy in person.
Leila Viss of
88 Piano Keys is a tech guru who leverages iPad apps to supercharge her
students' musical growth. Leila has coined the term "Off Bench Time" to refer
to the 15 minute block at the end of each lesson during which her students
work with an iPad to augment their understanding of music theory and reinforce
the concepts learned "on the bench". Follow 88 Piano Keys to incorporate
Leila's innovative technology strategy into your own lessons, and watch your
students soar to new heights.
Chad Twedt, the man behind
Cerebroom, doesn't write often, but when he does, people listen. Chad
is an absolute master at examing and dissecting common practices to reveal
their inherent flaws and to propose contrarian solutions. His work will challenge
you to flex your reasoning muscle, ultimately guiding you to uncover new
insights on a variety topics ranging from teaching and performance to ethics
and business.
Interested in reaching more students and/or earning more money? This is
the blog for you. Daniel Patterson, the mastermind behind
Grow Your Music Studio, has perfected the art of modern music studio
marketing. In his articles, Daniel shares the exact method he used to grow
his studio's revenue to over $10,000 per month and how you can do the same
by leveraging online advertising platforms such as Facebook and Google Adwords
to attract truck loads of new students.
An iconic rags to riches story,
Teach Piano Today started out as a determined husband and wife team trying
to scrape together their first few students in order to make their dream
of earning a living through music a reality. Within 3 years, their humble
teaching studio exploded into a full-fledged music school serving over 300
students. Follow Teach Piano Today to find out how they did it, and how you
can too.
Based out of Australia,
The Piano Teacher blog and magazine has seen significant subscriber growth
since its founding in 2011, largely due to the quality of its editors and
guest writers, which include quite a few of the other bloggers mentioned
in this post. Get your hands on a steady stream of repertoire ideas, business
tips, and digital resources by joining their mailing list.
Diane Hidy uses
her blog to share the wisdom she's gained throughout her 30 years of
teaching and performing at the highest level. From her innovative teaching
tips and her famous teaching toolbox to her time-tested business policy recommendations,
her blog is jam-packed with thought-provoking ideas that will expedite your
growth as a professional.